Sara Hernandez entered Reading Connections' Family Literacy Program for the first time in the fall of 2013, reporting that prior to Reading Connections she had never attended school. Upon enrolling in the Family Literacy Program this past September, Sara struggled to read and write in English and Spanish but was determined to become a proficient reader. During orientation, Sara scored a 153 on her pre-test, landing her in the Beginning ESL Literacy bracket, which is our lowest scoring bracket that we track for ESOL

test takers. 

In her seven months with the Family Literacy program in September 2015 through April 2016, Sara received group instruction centered on the Motheread® curriculum as well as individualized ESOL instruction. Always smiling, Sara possessed a drive and dedication that allowed her to complete 67.5 of the 80.5 hours offered. When she post-tested in April, Sara's literacy score increased 24 points. Following Sara's participation in the 

nd writing skills and increasing her self-confidence. While Sara did not complete a literacy level, the progress that she made while in the Family Literacy program was extraordinary. Sara states that she is interested in continuing to study the English language and steps are currently being taken to get her involved with our Greensboro ESOL program.

One young man spoke with me about his impending release. He and I talked about the challenges he might face on the outside, about the seemingly endless list of stumbling blocks that could prevent him from finding a job and a safe place to stay. We discussed challenges associated with reconnecting with family and strategies to avoid stepping back through that revolving door of recidivism. He is eager to step into his new identity as a free man, and said, "If people knew who I was, they would want something different for me."

I am often struck by the power and potency of my students' stories, and reminded of a quote from a favorite childhood author, Madeline L'Engle: "Stories make us more alive, more human, more courageous, more loving."

I view my role with Reading Connections as both a coordinator role and a leadership role, accessing opportunities to move more people to act by sharing the experiences of our detention center students more broadly. Storytelling is an emotional act as well as an intellectual one, and it may be the culmination of many months or many years of thinking about sharing one's story with another. Storytelling appeals to both sides of our character, giving us a lens through which we can understand the need for and the impact of real action.

I am inspired by our students' educational perseverance and I take sincere pride in aiding to change public perceptions of incarcerated individuals by providing a window into the lives of people at the detention center.